On A Wingull And A Praline
by Magic Malcolm
Summary: It's launch day for the new Pokémon games, and with Sami now fully onboard the Pokémon bandwagon Fergal is more excited than ever to start playing the new games. Who would have thought something so innocent could lead to such startling revelations? Part Six of the "Welcome To Devitt's" series.


November 18th, 2016; the long-awaited release date of the new Pokémon games, Sun and Moon.

The date had been circled on Fergal's calendar for the better part of six months, ever since the first trailers were released in May. _'That was an interestin' day...'_ Fergal thought to himself, a contented little smile on his face as he recalled **immediately** falling in love with the new starters, Becky dreaming of Hawaiian vacations and Sami's revelation of having never played a single Pokémon game in his life up to that point. In hindsight Fergal would _possibly maybe_ admit he overreacted to that...just a _teensy tiny_ bit perhaps, and he honestly hadn't expected Sami to bother trying to learn the game when he came back over that evening. But Sami had came in and sat down without complaint, taking the 3DS and eagerly got started. Sami had listened intently to all of Fergal's instructions, absorbed every one of Fergal explanations regarding game mechanics and type differences, and most importantly Sami actually tried his hardest to understand just why Fergal loved these games so much. It didn't take long for Sami to get the hang of it, and soon enough he really started to enjoy himself. Fergal had nearly completely lost all his composure when Sami told him that he was 'really getting into it.'

"Why're you puttin' so much effort into this?" Fergal had asked Sami at the time, "I woulda been happy if ya just played a little bit of the game."

"Because it's something that's _obviously_ important to you, Fergal," Sami had answered, "And _you_ are important to me. If having someone you can play this with will make you happy, then the least I can do is try. Nothing wrong with a little mindless fun like this every once in a while."

It took every ounce of effort for Fergal to not immediately drop to his knees and praise Arceus for bringing Sami into his life.

Before either man had realised they'd ended up playing through into the early hours of the morning, laughing with every victory and groaning at every defeat. Eventually they fell asleep huddled together on the bed, the 3DS still turned on and the background music wafting through the air acting as a makeshift lullaby.

The whole experience had certainly made choosing a birthday present for Sami particularly easy.

And now with the release of the newest games in the series, Fergal finally had somebody he could share the whole experience with. The special demo released in October had temporarily whetted his appetite, but today it was finally time for the main Poké-course. He had the whole day planned out in his head...all he had to do was survive his shift until Sami came in for lunch, then he would bombard his boyfriend with the biggest puppy-dog eyes he could muster until Sami inevitably caved in and drove them over to the nearest video game retailer. It would have been easier to accomplish had he managed to get the day off from work, but apparently his dad didn't agree with Fergal's reasoning that 'new Pokémon game!' was a good enough excuse for annual leave.

Fergal certainly couldn't accuse his da of playing any favourites. _Oh well._

With one last check in the mirror to see if he was presentable enough for the public, Fergal grinned widely and headed downstairs towards the coffee shop. He whistled a tune that could charitably be called a _variation_ of the main Pokémon theme as he entered the main area, smiling brightly as he saw who his co-workers for the day were. Becky was busy stocking the chill cabinet with today's selection of freshly made sandwiches and sundries, and Jojo was currently filling up the cake display.

Jojo was a relatively new start at Devitt's, and was actually recommended for the job to his dad by Sami. She was an aspiring dancer/singer whom Sami met at his tap dancing classes at the NXT Step Dance Studio, and when she mentioned she was looking for part-time work Sami had all but tripped over himself to put in a good word for her at Devitt's. Fortunately there was an opening, and Jojo's bubbly and effervescent nature had quickly won over the regular patrons and her dedication had won over Mr. Devitt enough to keep her on.

Fergal just liked the fact she was one of the very few people who didn't make him feel like a dwarf.

"Morning Fergal," Jojo greeted with a bright smile, "You seem awfully chipper this morning."

"I'm on top of the world today Jojo, and I don't t'ink there's anythin' that could bring me down," Fergal grinned as he retrieved his Union Jack emblazoned apron, the one Becky kept insisting he stole from the set of Coronation Street (and trying to explain _that_ reference to Sami had been a headache and a half).

"Oh, God, its Pokémon day isn't it?" Becky muttered from the cabinet, "I t'aught that out-of-tune whistlin' sounded familiar."

"Aww, I think it's cute you still get excited over stuff like that," Jojo stood on her tippy-toes to gently ruffle Fergal's hair, "Did you pre-order it or…?"

"Sami's gonna take me to pick it up later!" Fergal sing-songed as he began to fill up the coffee machines with their respective beans, "…hopefully, at least!"

"I take it you haven't actually _asked_ Sami to take you," Becky chided, "Awfully presumptuous of you to assume we'll let you sneak off, Ferg."

"Awww, lighten up Bex," Fergal shot her the most innocent smile in his arsenal, "It's a random Friday in the middle of November…how busy are we likely to be?"

* * *

Three hours later and Fergal was _seriously_ regretting his choice of words.

Fergal sighed as he glanced over the counter, almost all the tables were occupied and the queue had been steadily _increasing_ as time went on. Fergal felt a sinking sensation begin to bubble in his stomach, as the implications of the business booming began to manifest. If it remained this busy then Sami wouldn't have an excuse to hang around the coffee shop and Fergal wouldn't be able to justify leaving the store just to go pick up a video game. His da would go _spare_ if he tried pulling a stunt like that. His cunning plan was on the verge of being ruined thanks to a sudden outpouring of caffeine addicts.

"How is it so _busy_?" He muttered to himself, plastering on a smile as he took a takeaway cup from Jojo. Fergal quickly glanced at the order written on the underside, sighing as he reached for the caramel syrup, "It is neither unseasonably cold nor a major tourist season..."

"Lots of people coming in with armfuls of bags," Jojo offered with a sympathetic smile, "Maybe there's a sale on somewhere nearby? Or maybe they're Christmas shopping?"

"Or it could just be lunch hour, Ferg," Becky interjected from her position at the toasted sandwich machine, flipping a wrap over.

"Well how **dare** they be hungry, that's just _rude_ ," Fergal chuckled derisively as he began steaming up the milk.

Becky suddenly scowled over at him, "Careful, you're beginning to sound like Alexa."

Fergal opened his mouth to retort, but Becky had already turned her focus back to the toastie machine. He turned around to see Jojo looking over with a confused look on her face, grimacing slightly as he began to explain, "They had a falling out a couple months back...dunno all the details, but it was bad enough that da won't put them on the same shifts any more."

"She **tried** to steal the new belt that Cousin Shane got for me! You remember, the blue and white one?" Becky retorted, interrupting Fergal's explanation, "Said she was just lookin' at it. **Ha**. Lucky we couldn't prove anythin'…that wicked witch…"

"She coulda taken the strange lookin' red belt I got from Uncle Mick. Don't think anybody liked that thing," Fergal grinned mischievously as Becky let out a small huff of annoyance. Any further cheek would have to wait, as Becky popped the toasted wrap onto the plate and stormed off to serve it. Fergal and Jojo shared a quick chuckle as Fergal turned back to finish up the coffee, "Okay, one skinny caramel latte to go!"

Fergal barely glanced behind him as he handed to takeaway cup over. He wasn't expecting a manly-sounding laugh as the coffee was taken from him, "Wow, your dad said you were busy but I didn't think you were this desperate for help!"

Fergal gasped as he spun around, a fleeting glance of a flat cap, a band t-shirt _('Operation Snivy?')_ and a ratty backpack making way for a fluffy red beard, a cheeky grin and brown eyes filled with bemusement.

"SAMI!" Fergal exclaimed in surprise, studiously trying to ignore everybody in the coffee shop turning around to face the source of the outburst, "You... _wha_...you're not allowed back...and you're _early_...and... **HI**! Why **are** you here this early?"

Sami laughed gently as Fergal began to turn an adorable shade of pink, "Hello to you too, love. Yeah, sorry about turning up earlier than usual. The dance studio is fully booked for lessons this afternoon, so this was the only chance I had to sneak away to see you. Your dad saw me coming so he let me sneak in the staff entrance to avoid the sea of humanity out there. Surprise!"

"Oh," Fergal never thought seeing Sami would be such a disappointing experience. His Pokémon plan was well and truly in the gutter now. Thankfully Sami didn't seem to notice...it wasn't something worth upsetting Sami over, especially since the situation was completely out of Sami's control.

"So, who is this actually for?" Sami turned the cup around, a small smile of recognition appearing when he read the name scrawled on to the side. He cleared his throat before announcing to the coffee shop at large, "Skinny caramel latte to go for Car-mell-ahhh!"

"Cute, Zayn," A strong New York accent echoed through the store, as the customer in question approached the counter, "Things goin' so bad with the dancin' you need to part-time?"

"Nah, I'm just temping," Sami smiled warmly as he handed Carmella her coffee, "One coffee fit for a Princess."

"Thanks hon," Carmella grinned, tilting her head slightly in Sami's direction, "Ya know, your hair's gettin' kinda bushy in the back. Want me to book you in when I get back?"

"Normally I'd say yes, but...uh..." Sami grinned sheepishly as he jerked his thumb over his shoulder in what he hoped was Fergal's direction. Judging by the small 'eep' he heard, Sami guessed his aim was accurate, "...well, _someone_ likes it a bit floofier."

Carmella rolled her eyes, "Well, if it gets any wilder I'm pullin' rank and draggin' you to the salon myself. Capische?"

"Yes ma'am!" Sami saluted, "Enjoy your day, Carm."

"Same to you, Sami," Carmella raised her coffee cup slightly, "Cheers."

Sami gave her a cute little wave goodbye in response, before turning around to face the actual baristas with a big smile on his face. Fergal was busying himself with another order, and had a look on his face that indicated that he had **not** been listening intently to Sami's conversation with Carmella _oh no_ not even a little bit. Sami laughed softly at the small pout on Fergal's face, which earned him a half-hearted glare.

"Sami, please don't tease Fergal, I have to work with him you know?" Jojo giggled as Fergal grumbled something that was _probably_ uncomplimentary under his breath.

"Sorry Miss Jojo, I promise to try and behave," Sami tipped his cap slightly at the petite barista, before his eyes widened slightly, "Oh, before I forget...Rosa's starting back full-time next month if you wanna book yourself back in for salsa lessons."

"Oh, brilliant, thanks for letting me know," Jojo smiled brightly up at Sami, "Johnny wasn't a bad substitute, but you could tell he wasn't into teaching salsa at all."

Any reply Sami had for that was cut-off by a comically exaggerated 'ahem,' and a takeaway cup of coffee was suddenly thrust in-between himself and Jojo. Sami blinked in surprise as he turned his attention to a somewhat maudlin looking Fergal.

"One praline-infused mocha to go," Fergal muttered, before slipping his hand into Sami's, "Jojo, could you and Becky hold the fort a minute...I need a quick word, Sami?"

"Okay..." Sami allowed Fergal to gently pull him away, barely managing a quick wave hello to Becky as Fergal led them towards the back of the store, "You okay, Ferg? You seem a bit down."

"Yeah, no...I'm fine really," Fergal sighed, wrapping his arms around Sami's waist and letting his head rest against Sami's chest, "Just been really hectic all mornin'...and all my plans for the day are goin' up in smoke."

"Aww, Fergal...I'm sorry to hear that," Sami gently hugged Fergal close to him, the contented sigh from the Irishmen a bit of a relief to hear, "I might have something here that'll cheer you up, though."

Fergal lifted his head up, a hopeful expression on his face, "Is it Sami kisses?"

"Well, you know you can always have those Ferg," Sami smiled as Fergal moved closer, "But I do have a completely unrelated surprise for you."

"Ooh, I love surprises!" Fergal's eyes widened in excitement, "It's gonna have to be somethin' special to be better than kisses."

"Challenge accepted!" Sami grinned, moving to take off his backpack, "I...uh...actually made a quick pit-stop on the way here to pick these up for us."

Sami briefly rummaged around his backpack, before taking out two square boxes. Fergal gasped as Sami held them up for him to see...a copy each of Pokémon Sun and Moon. There was a very high chance that he made an undignified squeak when realisation dawned, but thankfully only Sami was there to hear it.

"I...uh, called your dad to make sure you hadn't already bought a copy," Sami grinned sheepishly, "That's how I knew how busy you were today. I figured you might not get a chance to slip away to buy your own, so...surprise! One copy each for both of us."

"Oh my...SAMI!" Fergal squealed in delight, all but launching himself back into Sami's arms. Sami smiled as Fergal slipped his hand around the back of Sami's head, pulling him down slightly for an excited burst of kisses, "Thank you, you impossibly wonderful human being."

"You're completely welcome," Sami grinned as every single one of Fergal's attempted kisses completely missed his mouth, "I know how much you've been looking forward to playing these, gotta admit now I'm kinda excited too. Do you have a preference as to which game you want?"

"You _definitely_ need to have the Sun version," Fergal smiled brightly, "My beautiful, amazing, bright sunshiny day."

"Fair enough, I was thinkin' you should have Moon anyway since you have the nicer butt," Sami giggled as he held up the copy of Pokémon Moon.

Sami half-expected Fergal to start clapping his hands together in sheer unadulterated glee, but he completely stopped in his tracks as a large, calloused hand reached over Sami's shoulder to pluck the game from his hand. Sami gasped in surprise, staring dumbfoundedly at the empty space the game previously occupied...whilst Fergal couldn't hide his immediate dismay at the only individual who could get away with taking his precious present away.

"Da?" Fergal complained, "What... _why_...?"

"You can get this _after_ you finish yer shift, Fergal," Mr. Devitt's tone bore no room for argument or compromise, "And only if you don't let it distract you from yer work. Got it?"

"Yes'sir..." Fergal hung his head dejectedly.

"And as for you Sami-boy," Sami gulped as he felt Mr. Devitt's hand clamp down firmly on his shoulder, "Just 'cause I let you in the service entrance doesn't mean you work here. I believe I made it perfectly clear you weren't allowed behind the counter?"

"Sorry sir, I let my emotions get the best of me," Sami turned his head slightly to face Mr. Devitt, who had a far more fond expression on his face than he was expecting, "Won't happen again!"

"It better not, I'd hate to have to bar my son's favourite customer," Mr. Devitt chuckled as Fergal almost immediately wrapped a protective arm around Sami, "Say your goodbyes and get back to work, Fergal. Rather rude of you to abandon the girls like that."

"Okay, da...sorry," Fergal sighed, giving Sami an apologetic look.

"Good lads," Fergal's dad clapped both of the boys on the shoulder, "I assume you'll be over later, Sami?"

"Wild horses and all that jazz," Sami replied, "I'll see you later, sir."

"If Fergal lets you out of his sight, maybe," Mr. Devitt laughed at the indignant splutter his son made in response, "Go get your lunch, lad. My treat."

"Thank you, Mr. Devitt," Sami tried desperately not to join in with Mr. Devitt's laughter if only for Fergal's sake, and barely managed to keep his composure as he waved him goodbye, "Aww, well. I suppose I'll grab a sandwich and head back over to NXT. Doubt there's a seat left in the place by now."

"This has been both the best day and the worst day…" Fergal pouted, "I can't believe da took my game away…"

"At least you'll be kept out of mischief with all that business to attend to out there. Your shift'll be over before you know it," Sami gently tilted Fergal's head up by the chin, "Goodbye kiss?"

"See you later kiss," Fergal corrected, happily humming as he closed the distance between them...

* * *

"Don't start without me!"

Sami smiled patiently up at Fergal from his seat on the bed, the main theme of the game playing through the tiny speakers on the 3DS. Fergal had been rummaging through his drawers for a solid couple of minutes before a triumphant yelp indicated he had found what he had been looking for. Sami looked on in curious disbelief as Fergal placed a baseball cap on his head, before bursting out laughing once he realised the cap was designed to look like a Pokéball.

"Oh my God, Ferg..." Sami managed to squeak out between laughs, "That's **incredible**."

"You like it?" Fergal beamed, "Got it custom made at one of the local flea markets."

"It's perfect," Sami's laughter made way for a bashful smile, " _You're_ perfect."

"Naaaah..." Fergal turned away slightly, a hint of a flush appearing on his cheeks, "You're the perfect one...putting up with my childish flights of fancy all the time. Most people would've laughed me out the buildin' for wearin' this."

"Well then most people are idiots," Sami gently patted the space beside him on the bed, "C'mon Ferg, get your cute little tush over here so we can begin our Pokémon journey together."

"Okay!" Fergal grinned as he dropped ungracefully onto the bed beside Sami, eagerly tearing open the wrapping of the game before slotting the cartridge into his own 3DS. Sami raised an eyebrow as Fergal began to sing as he turned on the 3DS, " _Together forever, no matter how long...from now until the end of time..."_

Sami had never heard the song in question before, but at that moment he certainly couldn't find himself arguing with the sentiment. Fergal leaned in to Sami just a little bit, Sami responding by nudging him softly.

"So, which starter are you gonna choose?" Fergal asked, contemplating the choice himself.

"Hmm..." Sami scratched his beard in thought, "...I think I'll go with Rowlet."

"Really?" Fergal looked up at Sami in confusion, "T'aught you said you liked Litten?"

"Yeah, but...I 'unno, there's something oddly familiar about the weird owl ball..." Sami scrunched up his nose, "It's small and cute...looks like its easily excitable..."

Sami paused in his thoughts, looking up from the screen to glance over at Fergal's quizzical face. A fond smile quickly overcame Sami's features as he gave Fergal another gentle nudge, "...guess it reminds me of somebody, that's all."

"Oh my God, _Sami,_ " Fergal groaned, tucking his head into the crook of Sami's shoulder. Quite the feat given he was still wearing his baseball cap, the skip going slightly askew, "Are you _trying_ to do me in out of sheer embarrassment?"

Sami smirked, "Wait till you see what I've called him."

"I'm almost scared to look..." Fergal muttered, cracking one eye open to peer at the screen of Sami's 3DS. The adorable gasp of surprise was quite possibly the cutest thing Sami had ever heard, "'Ferg _owl'_...God _dammit_ , Sami!"

"Regretting getting me into this series yet?" Sami teased.

Fergal shook his head so violently that Sami was afraid his Pokéball cap was going to fly off into orbit, "Are you _kidding_? This is the **greatest** thing that's ever happened to me! I never t'aught I'd meet someone I could share t'is with without being ridiculed. Never expected someone to still want to be with me after knowing what I'm like...never t'aught someone would like me for _me_. And to think it nearly never happened at all."

"How do you mean?" Sami asked softly, giving Fergal a comforting squeeze.

"If my sister hadn't dragged me out of the wash room that day...I dunno if I'd ever have had found the courage to ask ya out," Fergal sighed dejectedly, "I mean...you were all charming and lovely and handsome and nice to talk to...how'd I have a chance with someone like you beyond sheer dumb luck?"

"Okay, wow...that's _quite_ the set of revelations to come from me naming a Pokémon after you..." Sami whistled, "I might need a minute to sort all that out in my head."

Fergal sniffled, "'m sorry."

"Don't be sorry unless you didn't mean any of that," Sami gently pulled Fergal until the smaller man was sitting in Sami's lap, "If it helps, I almost gave you my number so many times...I wanted to ask you out so badly, but I didn't want to scare you away or lose the connection we were building up...I couldn't help thinking that this wonderful person couldn't possibly feel the same way about someone like me. If I ever meet the person who made you feel like being yourself wasn't enough, I'm gonna boot them in the head. Maybe twice."

"Wasn't one person in particular, Sami…" Fergal cuddled himself into Sami's embrace, "Like, you know what it's like to not fit in? To not be the person everyone expects you to be?"

"I guess...I didn't really have anybody expecting me to be anything I wasn't," Sami shrugged nonchalantly, "I can relate to the 'not fitting in' part though, I mean have you _ever_ met another redheaded French-Canadian/Syrian man who teaches dance for a living, loves ska music **_and_** likes guys? Huh, actually that _does_ sound really weird now that I've said it all out loud...kinda surprised I found **anywhere** to fit in... _annnnnd_ I just realised that was **probably** a rhetorical question. Never mind...you were saying?"

"I guess that's why you seem to get me more than most folks ever have," Fergal sniffled, trying to breathe in time with the comforting sound of Sami's steady heartbeat, "There's me in Ireland watching all these big burly lads bein' loud and gettin' drunk, full of banter and fightin' amongst themselves…and then there's me, not even six feet tall, quiet and introverted and I just wanted to be left alone to play with Legos in the corner out of everyone's way. That's even before takin' the not likin' the lassies thing into account. I was an easy target…being told you're wrong for likin' something other than the usual gets to you after a while. Let's just say I didn't need any convincin' when da decided to move out here to help run this place. I might be a total stranger to most folks here, but it still feels more like home to me than Ireland ever did."

Sami gently removed Fergal's cap, kissing the top of his head, "Fergal…for what it's worth you are _my_ kind of different. I love you and I'm sorry if I ever made you think you were silly or childish over anything you love."

"You're about the only person who never has, Sami," Fergal admitted, "And I don't think I'll ever be able to show you how much that means to me."

"Fergal, you named your Twitter account 'iLoveSamiZayn'," Sami tried not to sound too dumbfounded at Fergal's confession, "And even without such a grand gesture…I'd _still_ know. All I'll ever ask of you is to just…be _you_. I never want you to stop being the person who has no problem wandering around in a dinosaur onesie, or the person who gets over-excited over the simplest things…I fell in love with a man who desperately wants a Cosmog because it's the cutest thing ever and cried because it's a post-game Legendary, and I am _completely_ okay with that. I love _you_ and I wouldn't change a single thing about you."

The silence that followed was surprisingly serene, although Sami wondered if he had gone too far as Fergal seemed to be stunned into silence, staring contemplatively down at the floor. It took a few moments, but a tiny smile crept its way onto Fergal's face, "Sami…I wouldn't want you to be anybody else either. Truth be told, you're the one person I don't feel scared to be myself around, and I hope you always feel the same way around me."

Sami eagerly returned the smile, "I 'unno, you _do_ tend to give me a hard time whenever the hockey's on."

"Only 'cause you're conforming to stereotype," Fergal snickered, "It'd be like you makin' fun of me for likin' Guinness."

"I'll have to take your word on that one," Sami smiled slightly, leaning in to gently kiss the side of Fergal's mouth, "Tell you what, if I end up getting Cosmog first, I'll gladly trade it over to you for…I 'unno, a Rattata or something."

"Hey, don't you be downplayin' Rattatas, have you seen the dapper moustaches they have in Alola?" Fergal slipped his hand up to cup the side of Sami's face, "Besides…you already captured something far more valuable than any Legendary."

"Oh?" Sami nuzzled Fergal's hand, "What might that be?"

Fergal grinned as he took back his Pokéball cap, holding it over his chest as he replied, "My heart."

"Oh, goddammit Fergal…" Sami snorted, a wave of hysterical laughter soon following, "You're right. That's **way** more valuable and far rarer than anything in the world. Thank you for entrusting it to me, I promise to always take good care of it."

"I know you will," Fergal placed the cap back on his head, "Right. Where were we before I led us astray with emotions?"

"You were deciding on a starter," Sami handed Fergal his 3DS over, before picking his own back up to continued playing, "But then I blindsided you with a **great** play on words."

"Oh…well if you're takin' Rowlet…" Fergal smirked mischievously, "I'll take the Litten."

"Taking the starter strong against mine?" Sami gasped theatrically, "You fiend!"

"Can't expect survival against this rival," Fergal patted the top of Sami's head, "Needs a name though…"

Sami scrunched up his face in thought, "Hmm…hang on, it eventually evolves into a massive wrestle-cat, right?"

"Yeah," Fergal nodded in confirmation, "Ev'rybody was buggin' out 'cause they thought it'd be Fire/Fightin' again. You t'aught of something, Sami?"

"…maybe," Sami motioned to the 3DS in Fergal's hands, "Lemme see if it fits…"

Fergal handed over his 3DS, waiting patiently as Sami began to input the name. A wide smile soon appeared on Sami's face, before he handed the 3DS back to Fergal with a flourish.

"…'Catterwall'…" Fergal felt his jaw drop in amazement, before tackling Sami down on to the bed with a massive hug, "That's fuckin' _perfect_ , that is."

Sami nodded sagely in response as Fergal closed in for more kisses, "Only the best for my Fergal."

"You're the best," Fergal murmured as Sami wrapped his arms around the Fergal's shoulders.

"Must be why I'm all yours then," Sami sighed as Fergal's lips gently caressed his own, lips soon parting and everything else in the world becoming increasingly irrelevant as hands began to wander and kisses became more heated.

They could always begin playing the game tomorrow...


End file.
